Original subtitles

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION

CHILD ACTORS AND ANIMALS WERE FILMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAFETY GUIDELINES

Originally, Gangcheori was a dragon

on his way to ascend

after 1,000 years of ascetic practice deep under the pond.

However,

he was blighted by relentless misfortune.

When an ascending dragon is jinxed

after being spotted by human eyes,

he is bound to become a mere Imugi once more.

The mighty divine will of the heavens showed no mercy.

The 1,000 years of its ascetic practice was undone

and he fell to the ground

after a cruel kismet led a child to spot him.

That is why

Gangcheori fervently detests

the human race.

They say where Gangcheori passes through

becomes barren early spring even if it is the season of harvest for a reason.

Gangcheori is truly a terrible malevolent deity.

He just had terrible luck.

Why torture innocent people?

When I become a great shaman,

I will be sure to teach him a lesson

and make sure he never sets foot in our village.

Shush.

You will do no such thing.

That is not how you deal with him.

If you ever cross paths with him,

you must run away and never look back.

Gangcheori is known to target shamans of great character

and pure spirit like yourself.

Thus, you must run.

Promise me you will.

Go on.

13 YEARS LATER

Get away…

Get away from me!

- You cannot, Your Highness. - Your Highness, please stop.

My goodness…

Are you actually suggesting that I summon a shaman to the palace to perform a ritual

to drive away evil spirits?

Please forgive my impertinence,

but this is a matter of Your Majesty's noble duty.

The royal physician is doing his best.

They are secretly and tirelessly working to find a cure.

Even the top physician in the nation

failed to find a remedy after months.

That only leaves

an affliction caused by spirits.

Spirits are nothing more than the ebb and flow of yin and yang!

Your Majesty!

What are you staring at?

Something up there?

I do not see anything. What is the matter with you?

His Excellency is waiting. Follow me.

Can you read this character?

It is too blurry for me to make out.

Please see if you can see better with that eyeglass.

Goodness, that is "hwan," the character for luminous.

I can see it. I can see it quite clearly.

Let me see here…

I have been desperate to read this,

but I have been saving it, due to my blurry vision.

But now…

I will be able to read it by myself.

This girl is renowned in this area for her spectacles.

I have tried every pair of glasses known to be decent,

but they pale in comparison to this.

Exquisite clarity has been restored in my once blurry life.

You have quite a talent.

By chance, is there a child in this family

who is sick?

My poor child.

Just hang in there.

Do you see something?

Is there a way to cure Her Lady?

What are you talking about?

A cure for In-seon?

Your Excellency,

this child is a descendant of Neop-deok.

Neop-deok? Who is that?

You know, she was the shaman who healed

the late great mistress of the house.

Then, are you a shaman as well?

I am not a practitioner of the spiritual arts.

I just detected

the scent of a herbal tonic brewing in the household.

Secretly deliver this to Lord Song, the Gyeonggi governor.

Also, visit Lord Choi Won-u

and persuade him to join our cause.

All of this must be kept

a secret from the world.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I am merely visiting my hometown to take care

of my grandparents' graves.

It may be weak,

but that is undeniably a vengeful ghost.

It must be responsible for the mysterious illness

plaguing the young lady of this house.

My dear child. No…

My goodness! In-seon!

No, this cannot be.

The poor young lady will inevitably end up losing her life.

My poor child…

It is ancestral karma.

If people knew that the consequences

of the choices they make in life did not end with their deaths

but that their children would inherit the vicious cycle of retribution,

would the world look a little different?

What are we going to do? Now, Her Lady is even coughing up blood!

Where is the physician?

Give me

water.

Water?

Just hang in there. I will be right back.

Step back from her at once.

I refuse.

Her father did this to my legs

and even took my life.

At the very least, she shall accompany me

to the afterlife!

You even gladly eat that coarse millet.

You are a pauper ghost indeed.

Who are you?

I pity you.

Spirit,

you have my condolences and my deep sympathy.

You are not even a shaman. How dare you pity me!

Do you not understand?

I am not looking to save this esteemed daughter of a nobleman

who grew up wrapped in silk.

It is you

who I wish to save.

What?

Accumulate more bad karma,

and you will irrevocably turn into an evil spirit.

An evil deed will latch on like a leech and torment you,

pushing you to commit another.

Furthermore, you will be unable to cross over to the afterlife

and be forced to wander the nine heavens forever.

Is that

what you truly desire?

Is it?

It is not too late.

I shall help you.

Let me.

Do not lie to me.

You have even forsaken your shaman fate. How could a wench like you help me?

He possessed her in an instant.

How did this weak lesser spirit manage that so quickly?

It cannot be…

I shall kill this wench

and make my way to hell with her!

Stop right there!

What is that?

What could that be to cause such…

Get away from me! Go!

It must burn.

Come out of that body at once.

Do not anger me further.

Come out now!

What is going on here?

My heart goes out to you.

Would you like my help?

Just say the word.

I would be happy to help.

Yes.

Just say the word.

Go on. Say it.

Get lost.

So close…

Why is my stomach so upset today?

How strange…

What happened here?

My goodness. Wait.

Who is this lady?

Excuse me.

My goodness.

It's no other than Lady Choi In-seon.

My lady, please wake up.

And why are you dressed like so? My lady!

My lady!

Are you all right?

What are you talking about?

She can barely walk by herself.

Where could she have gone?

Do not just stand there.

Dispatch the men to search the vicinity. Now!

Yes, my lord.

My lady…

Your Excellency.

- In-seon! - My lady!

What happened?

Why are you bringing back my In-seon?

His Lord helped me.

You helped my daughter?

It was not I.

The one who saved her…

I just escorted her back here after I discovered her unconscious.

Yeo-ri.

Yeo-ri…

Is your neck all right?

It must hurt a lot.

A vengeful ghost can pack quite a punch.

Do you want me to take a look?

Though I usually abhor humans,

I would gladly make an exception for you.

But, you really are something else.

With just a peach tree switch and no other proper weapon,

you took care of that vengeful ghost with ease.

Of course, I was right.

I am never wrong.

Simply remarkable spiritual essence and commendable character…

Just say the word.

I will become your patron deity to make you a great shaman,

one capable of performing state shamanic rites.

Scared?

I guess you know enough to fear the Ghostbane Stone.

Your tone is beyond insolent. How dare you--

Cut the act already.

I know you empowered that one-legged ghost.

Do you think I do not know you were deviously planning

to use him to steal the Ghostbane Stone and possess my body?

If you know that so well,

then just let me do it already.

They say ten years are enough for rivers and mountains to change.

It has already been 13 years, Yeo-ri.

I was close to coaxing that one-legged Ghost.

After all his years of wandering the nine heavens,

I could have eased his festering sorrow.

But you ruined it.

That is why I hate you.

You are shameless and disgraceful.

You have not the slightest regard for the heavens, earth, and mankind.

The despicable malevolent deity,

Gangcheori.

I first met Gangcheori

when I was 13 years old.

Halt!

My goodness.

Yeo-ri.

Grandma.

What is wrong?

A black Imugi…

keeps following me around.

A black Imugi?

Gangcheori!

Gangcheori?

Did you hear that? Gangcheori is here!

Gangcheori, the malevolent deity is chasing after Yeo-ri!

My goodness. Our village will be in ruins.

Oh no!

A jinx that originates from mankind

must be cleansed through a human with great spiritual energy.

There is a legend that states if someone pure and of great character like you

accepts the Imugi as your patron deity

and offers a devout prayer to the heavens,

the Imugi will be able to become a dragon once more and ascend.

This is a Ghostbane Stone.

It is the stone of the Dragon King.

Consider it an extension of yourself and keep it with you at all times.

The Ghostbane Stone

wards off spirits.

It will not only keep Gangcheori at bay,

but most wandering spirits as well.

That stone will keep you safe.

Cleanse the soul

And purify the spirit

Stand on top of the untouchable caste

And raise the Dragon King

Watch over the prince with favor

Our hope grows with every word

Grandma.

Grandma!

Grandma!

After that incident,

they called me an indari.

"Indari,"

as in "a bridge of human corpses."

It is how the deities punished the shamans who refused them.

No! Stop!

Stop it!

Move!

This is all because of you!

You brought Gangcheori to our village, and it is now plagued by misfortune.

That is why Neop-deok ended up like this.

No.

No. No, it isn't!

That is how Gangcheori managed to take away my grandmother,

the only family I had left.

Now, do you understand?

No human can win against a deity.

How nice it would have been if you had listened to me sooner.

You should toss that wretched Ghostbane Stone.

And take my hand, instead.

Why you little…

How dare you.

I…

am merely a helpless mortal.

However, I will never serve a terrible malevolent deity like you.

Even if I collapse and become dust…

it will never happen.

This is how I get revenge on you.

Grandma.

Are you resting in such a nice place

that you do not even once visit your own granddaughter?

How could you…

never come see me?

Your Grace, you cannot.

Queen. Move aside.

Your Grace.

It has already been over three months since I have seen my grandson.

Palace etiquette remains strict.

Just imagine how heavy his heart must be, unable to carry out his duties.

Hence, I, his grandmother, decided to come to him.

Mother was deeply distressed to hear about her nephew's serious ailment.

This medicine from a renowned, private physician should help him.

A cold…

He suffers from a serious cold.

I worry he may pass on the illness to Your Grace.

- So please-- - A cold?

My sweet, innocent queen.

How will you ever survive the cruel palace

when you remain so inept at lying?

Do not just stand there. The tonic will grow cold!

Open it.

Your Grace, but--

Now!

Announcing His Majesty!

Your Grace.

Your Majesty, how delighted I am to see you.

You have stepped away from state affairs to lovingly look after your sick son.

I am beyond touched to see you care so much about him, Your Grace.

Well…

What was that sound?

On the days his symptoms worsen, he finds it difficult to endure the pain.

It does not seem right to have you witness such a terrible sight--

Stop!

- Mother. - Your Grace, are you all right?

Your Majesty is right.

I believe

it would be best I take my leave.

My goodness.

Are you all right?

Forgive me.

You have done well.

Go and get that treated.

If the Queen Dowager figured it out,

what do we do?

She did not witness it herself.

She will remain uncertain.

Do not worry so, Queen.

You are leaving? So soon?

I have yet to give

my response to His Majesty's letter.

You already have, my lord.

Have I?

Despite you having been the Left State Councilor,

your hospitality towards me,

a mere text examiner of books at the palace,

was wholeheartedly sincere.

That could not have been for my sake.

It was for His Majesty's sake.

Yes. You are right.

However, that does not mean I will lend my support to His Majesty.

You do find yourself swayed, do you not?

This will affect the foundation of this nation.

This may turn the scholar-officials on him.

Why is His Majesty so ardently pursuing this impossible feat?

His Majesty…

believes that it will be possible if he has your support.

I hear you were looking for this, my lord.

I did not see anything of value besides the few corrective lenses.

Why were you looking for this?

- Did you look inside? - What?

I mean, everyone was talking about how feisty that eyeglass artisan was.

Things could go awry

if I hand over her belongings to you.

There is no need for concern.

Yeo-ri and I grew up in the same village.

She is like a sister to me.

A sister?

Excuse me.

It is you, is it not? Yoon Gap of Yongdam Village?

Gosh. How man years has it been?

You have the wrong person.

Why is that lowly bastard

coming out of Lord Choi Won-u's residence?

Come now.

Take a look.

Ma'am, are you kidding me right now?

You want a whole nyang for this ox horn?

I heard the village blacksmith bought it for three jeons yesterday.

That is for the seller to decide!

Damn shaman rolling in here with misfortune in the morning…

Ma'am, shall I educate you on what true misfortune is?

Listen carefully. Summoning every spirit, evil, wandering, and vengeful,

throughout the eight provinces to linger on the main pillar of your house

so that they cause you to grow deathly ill,

before ending your life

and your bloodline with one swoop.

That is true misfortune.

What did you say?

How dare you threaten me!

Or maybe that spirit over there glaring at you…

You know, your mother-in-law who drowned to death a few years ago.

You would at least need a drowned ghost settling in your outhouse

for it to actually be a misfortune, no?

Forget it.

Even if they offer me ritual rice there, I would not want it!

You would not?

This is so damn ridiculous.

Here, take it for three jeons or don't. Whatever.

- And complimentary fine abrasive sand? - What?

You know I am a regular here.

See you next time.

Hey. Why you…

Hey, spray some salt where she was.

I see that ironwood-like grit has not changed one bit

after all these years.

Do not tell me you forgot about me already.

Young Master Gap.

It has been a while, Yeo-ri.

Have you been well?

A little to the side.

- To the right. Good. There you go. - Yeah, right there!

- Over there. - Twist it.

A bit to the side.

- Turn it. - Just a bit more.

- You got it. - Yes, there.

Yes, right there.

Why are you by yourself again?

That is it. There.

- There. That is it. - Turn it.

Are they excluding you again?

That is not it.

Stay here.

I will pick you the biggest, plumpest persimmon from that tree.

Why does he always look at me with a smile on his face?

Just a bit more.

- Hurry up. - No, not over there…

Just a bit to the side.

Over here. No, not that side.

Young Master, just come down from there! Hurry up!

- What? - I do not want a persimmon.

Just forget it!

Do not worry.

This is nothing.

See.

- Oh, no. - Is he okay?

Did you see?

I am perfectly fine.

You appear to be doing well.

A civil servant now, I presume?

Yes, that is right.

Your prophecy back then was true.

That hopeless bastard somehow managed to become a civil servant.

Then, you must believe in the Dragon King and spirits now.

But I hear you became an eyeglass artisan and not a shaman.

How did you find that out?

Lord Choi Won-u mentioned you.

I resided in his home for a few days.

Here. This is yours, is it not?

I have been meaning to pick that up.

Lord Choi was quite pleased with the glasses you made him.

Speaking of…

Would you make me a pair of glasses as well?

It does not appear you need them.

Who would they be for?

His Majesty.

Yes, you are right.

I am sure there are plenty of skilled eyeglass artisans.

However, we cannot just have any artisan present to the king.

I will be praised for recommending a talented artisan.

And you will be honored as the king's eyeglass artisan.

Two birds, one stone.

But still, a sudden trip to Hanyang…

Hanyang?

Hanyang?

Unbelievable.

You cannot.

Do you even know what a scary place Hanyang is?

People get swindled even with their eyes wide open.

They rob people blind from right under their noses.

The rogue thugs there will gobble up

a naive country girl like you in a flash.

That is how scary Hanyang can be--

Is something the matter?

No, not at all.

I thought I heard a dog barking somewhere.

Dog?

A dog?

As if evil spirit was not bad enough, now, I'm a dog?

A dog barking?

I do not hear anything.

I assure you it is in your best interest to not hear such barking.

Why you… You big dummy!

He is deceiving you right now!

I forgot I had to complete an urgent order for glasses.

Must you do it now?

Yes. It is quite urgent. So, please…

excuse me.

Yeo-ri.

I hope

you will accompany me this time.

I am not asking for an answer now.

I will be staying at the tavern for a few days.

Let me know when you decide.

Will you?

What an obnoxious jerk.

Tell me.

Do not even think about trying to deceive me.

No tricks.

Why are you throwing this fit?

What is His Lord lying to me about?

Tell me.

Where did all that clairvoyant spiritual energy of yours go?

Do you really not know?

He does not desire to bring you to the palace as an eyeglass artisan.

He could not care less if you lived or died.

He is just looking to use you to fulfill his ambitions.

His Lord would never do that.

How naive.

How could you have such blind faith in him?

So brazen, when you do not even know what is at the palace.

What is at the palace?

What could there be?

The palace is known to be full of yin energy.

Vicious evil spirits are…

What? What do you want?

I cannot figure out why,

but you

are afraid.

That is why you are suddenly throwing this fit.

No, I am not.

Then, there is no reason for me to not go.

If it is something you fear so,

it cannot be something that would harm me.

That little…

I mean,

it is not like I particularly want to go.

It's just that

His Lord was so earnest in his plea

and I do owe him for that past incident.

Not to mention,

I am sick and tired of being alone all the time.

A vision?

Gosh.

What is this?

Why are your eyes closed?

My lord.

Your intensity

almost made me wet my pants.

So dramatic you are.

Uncle.

Gyun, what are you doing here?

I am here because I have an urgent matter to discuss with you.

What are you doing here, my lord?

Everything has changed,

but that tree seems to be the same.

That must be the spot.

The spot where you always sat.

How do you remember such things?

Do you remember that promise?

I promised I would be back for you.

Come with me, Yeo-ri.

My visions have never been wrong.

His Lord will be fine.

I will not lose anyone else to Gangcheori again.

So…

My lord!

- Are you all right? - I am all right.

I am sorry for putting you through all this.

But…

is it not strange?

The capital is a three-day walk from Yongdam Village.

However, we have been making circles in the same spot for the past two days.

The capital is just past that mountain.

It is almost as if…

As if what?

It feels like someone is trying to stop us from going to the palace.

Why would anyone do that?

We must have taken the wrong path.

I shall survey the area and search for some medicinal herbs too.

No. Do not exert yourself.

I will be back in no time. Stay here.

Come out.

Reveal yourself!

I know you are behind this, Gangcheori!

How much longer are you going to torture me?

Come out. Come out now!

It has been 13 years.

You have tortured me for 13 years. Is that not enough?

Just let me go now, you rotten malevolent deity!

Keep going. Scream all you want.

No matter what you do,

you will never be able to leave this mountain.

Come out. Come out this instant!

Hey!

What is this now?

I am sorry, Yeo-ri.

I have deceived you.

I have done this in the name of noble duty.

Do not forgive me, Yeo-ri.

Are you back already?

Come out.

Come out, you rotten malevolent deity!

Hey!

Lily turf.

Tell me what you discussed with Choi Won-u.

Why did the king send you there?

Wretched scoundrel!

Answer him now!

Yeo-ri will be back soon.

She will also be in danger at this rate.

What a stubborn scoundrel you are.

Start talking if you do not want to die.

Kill me.

If my death could serve

as poison to you, Kwak Sang-chung,

and become a stepping stone

for His Majesty's noble ambitions…

Then, I do not fear

my death at all.

Your Majesty.

Please forgive me.

My lord.

How could you kill him?

I have always wanted to shut this bastard's trap up

for eternity.

I feel absolutely refreshed.

Collect his body

and secretly make it look like Choi Won-u killed him.

Yes, my lord.

It is my first time possessing a human body.

I feel suffocated and incredibly inept.

This should be enough to stop the bleeding.

Something feels off.

I do not sense anyone's energy right now.

Where in the world did Gangcheori go?

Could he…

Lord Gap?

My lord.

What in the world happened to you?

Yeo-ri…

Gangcheori.

Gangcheori has possessed Lord Yoon Gap's body.

The Ghostbane Stone!

Yeo-ri,

you are mine now.

It was you!

You did it.

You killed His Lord.

As if that was not enough, you even stole his body!

No, that is not true.

I did not kill that rascal.

Hey, speak up. Did I kill you?

You ended up dead for acting out in the palace without knowing your place.

How is there someone who looks exactly like me?

How is this--

No point in feeling wronged.

I, too, decline this impossibly suffocating

and feeble body.

I am just borrowing it briefly before it rots.

Who are you?

Why have you taken hold of my body?

Give it back this instant!

Yeo-ri.

How is this possible?

My lord.

That wretched Ghostbane Stone is gone.

It does not matter one bit

if you believe me or not.

When I become your patron deity,

you will have to do as I say anyway.

Let go. Let go of me, you scoundrel!

Now, you have no choice

but to loyally serve me

as my disciple…

As my disciple…

As my disciple!

Why is it not working?

I have waited 13 years for this moment.

I must become her patron deity to turn into a dragon.

But why?

Why can I not escape this body?

The Ghostbane Stone.

No!

How unfortunate.

What are you to do?

You will never be able to find it now.

That wretched Ghostbane Stone.

Darn you…

Yeo-ri!

Yeo-ri…

SPECIAL THANKS TO KIM YOUNG-KWANG

- Where am I? - You are in the palace.

What happened to Examiner Yoon?

That is amnesia.

But its five senses, an exquisite attribute.

But this wondrous gadget even provides clarity of the mind.

Ghostbane Stone?

Why did you summon that eyeglass artisan?

Yoon Gap must have brought her here at this very moment for a reason.

I miss His Lord so much it kills me.

- But, it is not him. - Find his spirit and return it?

His life thread has already been cut.

That is absurd.

This way, Yeo-ri.

- His Lord's spirit is inside the palace. - Please save me.

My lord!

I have been tricked.

Why is this body so damn slow?

It is him.

Subtitle translation by: Justin S. Kim